Locomotive drive



w. A. BREHT 2,454,13l

LOCOMOTIVE DRIVE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov.` 16, 1948.

Original Filed Aug. 26, 1943 INVENTOR Mnjfon HER: chi.

1 BY %m ATTORN Nov. 16, 1948. w. A. BRECHT 2 2,454,131

' LOCOMOTIVE DRIVE ori inal Filed Aug. 26, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. '16, 1948 2,454,3 I LOCOMOTIVE muve Winston A. Brecht, Pittsburgh, Pa., assinor to Westinghousc Electric Corporation, East Plttbin-gli, Pa., a corporation of Pemsylvania Original application August ,26, 1943, Serial No.

500,()96, now Patent No. 2,411,363, dated November 19, 1946. Divided and this application October 12, 1945, Serial No. %2,052

This application is a division of my copending application,` Serial No. 500,096, filed August'26, 1943, which has since matured into U. S. Patent No. 2,411,363, granted' November .19, 1946.

My invention relates, generally, to locomotive drives and, more particularly, to-drives for steam turbine locomotives. However, it is not limited to that application and may be utilized with any prime mover where it is desirable to drive one or more axles from a single prime mover.

Heretofore, in locomotive drives it has been thought necessary to utilize quills, one of which surrounds each driving axle, and to transmit torque from the quills to the driving wheels by means of flexible drives. With a drive of the foregoing type it might be necessary to connect the wheels of adjacent axles by means of side rods to enforce a division of the power flow to each axle when the wheel diameters are not' exactly equal.

An object of my invention, -generally stated, is to provide a locomotive drive which shall be simple and eflicient in operation and which may be economicaily manufactured and installed.

A more specific object of my invention is to provide a locomotive drive which shall ensure an equal division of load between the drlving wheels.

Another object of my invention is to permit angular misalignments between the axes of certain of the shafts of a gear' drive.

A further object of my invention is to permit both vertical and lateral movement of a gear driven axle relative to the driving unit.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a locomotive drive which can be utilized in a locomotive having its main frame mounted inside the wheels.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a locomotive drive suitable for a locomotive having one or more driving axles.

Other objects of my invention will be explained fully hereinafter or will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

In accordance with one embodiment of my" 5 Claims. (CI. 105-117) Referring to the drawings, and particularly to I Fig. 2, the portion of a locomotive structure shown therein comprises a pair of side frame members n which are disposed inside of the fianges of driving wheels ll mounted on a pair of adjacent axles !2. The frame members !0 may be mounted on the axles i2 by means of journal bearings |3 of the usual type.

As shown in Fig. 1, the adjacent axles i? may be driven by a main drive shaft |4 which extends longitudinally of the locomotive and may be connected to a steam turbine or other suitable prime mover in any suitable manner such as that disclosed in the copending application of W. A. Brecht and E'. L. Alben, Serial No. 500,097, filed August 26, 1943, now Patent No. 2,394,037.

In order to transmit torque from the main drive shaft !4 to the axles I2, a bevel gear [5 is mounted on each axle and is driven by a pinion IS which is Secured to an auxiliary drive shaft I'l disposed substantially parallel to the main drive shaft II. The auxiliary drive shafts IT are'both movably .connected to an intermediate gear IB which is driven by pinions IS Secured to the main drive shaft I 4.' A split gear case 2 I surrounds the bevel gear |5 upon each axle and contains roller bearrate alignment with its bevel gear [5 at all times.

The intermediate gear I 8 and the pinions !9 are supported by a gear case 24 which may be split along the planes through the centers of the axles 12 and the drive shaft !4. The gear case 24 may be mounted in the locomotive frame in the manner disclosed in the aforesaid copending application. suitable bearings 25 are provided in the gear case 24 for the main drive shaft l4. Likewise, sleeve bearings 26 may be provided in the gear case 24 for the intermediate gear [8.

In the embodiment of the inventon shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a coupling structure is utilized to provide for relative motion between the axle gear unit and the intermediate gear unit. In the structure shown in Figs. 1 and 2,' each one of the' auxiliary shafts l'l is connected to the intermediate gear s by means of a double-coupling unit 35.

Each gear case 2l' is also provided with an ex tension 36 which is a torque arm for the axle gear unit. Each torque arm 36 may be movably connected to the locomotive frame by means of a link 31. In this manner a certain degree of lateral freedom of motion for the axle assembly with respect to the intermediate gear unit is permitted by the present structure. In addition, this freedom of movement permits the elimination of spiines on'the locomotive axles !2.

The double-coupling shown in Fig. 1 comprises a member 40 Secured to the shaft ll and having internal teeth 4| which mesh with externai teeth 42 provided on a coupling member 43. The member 43 is disposed inside of an internal gear 44 which, in turn, is disposed inside of the intermediate gear !8. The coupling member 43 is provided with external teeth 45 which mesh with the internal gear 44. Thus, torque is transmitted from the gear !8 through the internal gear 44, the coupling members 43 -and 4I, the shaft I'I and the bevel gears !6 and !5, to the axle i2.

Similar coupling members 40 and 43 are provided for the shaft IT which drives the other axle 12. A coil spring 46 may be disposed between the two coupling members 43, thereby maintaining them in spaced relation. A bearng plate 41 may be provided in the outer end of each coupling member 43 for engagement with the ends of the shafts I'I. A flexible covering 48 may be provided for the space between the coupling member 40 and the internal gear 44, thereby protecting the coupling members. If desired, the hearing 25 provided in the gear case 24 for the shaft l4 may be of a type having rollers 49.

With the drive herein described, the two axles |2 are so tied together through the bevel gears l and IS, the shafts IT, the fiexible couplings and the intermediate gear unit |8 that both axles must rotate at the same speed, as in the case of a side rod drive. However, the unbalance resulting from the use of side rods is eliminated. Furthermore, the axle drive is greatiy simplified by the elimination of the quills and the cup or other fiexible drives previously utilized.

As explained hereinbefore, the present drive makes it possible to utilize main truck frame members which are disposed between the wheel fianges. The foregoing features materially reduce the weight of the locomotive structure, which is of great importance in the design of a highpowered steam locomotive. Furthermore, the simplification and reduction of the number of wearing parts utilized in the driving mechanism will reduce Operating and maintenance expense.

Since numerous changes may be made in the above described construction and different em-` bodiments of the invention may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the foregoing description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a locomotive drive, in combination, a pair of axles having wheels thereon, frame members disposed between said wheels, a main drive shaft disposed substantially at right angles to the axles, an intermediate gear driven by the main drive shaft and disposed between said frame members substantially midway between the axles, a gear mounted on each axle, an auxiliary shaft for driving each 'one of the axle gears, said auxiliary shafts being disposed substantially paraliel to the main shaft and driven by said inof the axle gears, a torque arm for each gear case, and means for movably connecting the torque arms to the frame members on opposite sides of the intermediate gear.

2. In a locomotive drive, in combination, a pair of axles having wheels thereon, frame members disposed between said wheels, a maindrive shaft disposed substantially at right angles to the axles, an intermediate gear driven by the main drive shaft and disposed between said frame members substantially midway between the axies, a gear mounted on each axle, an auxiliary shaft for driving each one of the axle gears, said auxiliary shafts being disposed substantially parallel to the main shaft and driven by said intermediate gear, coupling means siidably disposed in the intermediate gear for flexibly connecting each auxiliary shaft to' the intermediate gear, spring means disposed between said coupling means, a gear case for enclosing each one of the axle gears, a torque arm for each gear case, and means for movably connecting the torque arms to the frame members on opposite sides of the intermediate gear, said torque arms being of sufflcient length to extend past said intermediate gear.

3. In a locomotive drive, in combination, a pair I of axles having wheels thereon, frame members disposed between said wheels, a main drive shaft disposed substantially at right angles to the axles, an intermediate gear driven by the main drive shaft and disposed between said frame members substantially midway between the axles, a gear mounted on each axle, an auxiliary shaft for driving each one of the axle gears, said auxiliary shafts being disposed substantialiy parallel to the main shaft and driven by said intermediate gear, coupling means siidably disposed in the intermediate gear for flexibly connecting each auxiliary shaft to the intermediate gear, spring means disposed between said coupling means, a gear case for enclosing each one of the axle gears, a torque arm for each gear case, said torque arms being formed integrally with the'gear cases, and means for movably connecting the torque arms to the frame members.

4. In a locomotive drive, in combination, a pair of axles having wheels thereon, frame members disposed between said wheels, a main drive shaft disposed substantially at right angles to the axles, an intermediate gear driven by the main drive shaft and disposed between said frame members substantially midway between the axles, a gear mounted on each axle, an auxiliary shaft for driving each one of the axle gears, said auxiliary shafts being disposed substantially parallel to the main shaft and driven by said intermediate gear, coupling means having one end slidably disposed inside of the intermediate gear for flexibly connecting each auxiliary shaft to the intermediate gear independentiy of the other auxiliary shaft, a gear case for enclosing each -one of the axle gears, a torque arm for each gear case, and means for movably connectingthe torque arms to the frame members.

5. In a locomotive drive, in combination, a pair of axles having wheels thereon, frame members disposed between said wheels, a main drive shaft disposed substantially at right angles to the axles, an intermediate gear driven by the main gear case; and`swing links for movably connecting the torque arms to the frame members on opposite sides of the intermediate gear.

WINSTON A. BRECHT.

hmmm-:s c'rn The following reterences are ot record in the file of this patent:

UNITED s'rA'me mmm Number Name Date 1,222,610 Dunkley Apr. 17, 1917 1,411,363 Lieberman Apr. 4, 1922 1.665,865 Templin Apr. 10. 1928 10 ,776,479 Rayburn Sept. 23, 1930 1361673 Raybum July 19, 1932 2,051,07 3 Burrows et al. Aug. 18, 1936 FOREIGN PATENTS us Number Country .Date

37,886 Holland Apr. 15, 1936 

